NCAA Basketball offseason

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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- BYU basketball coach Dave Rose has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The university said on its Web site Wednesday that Rose's family announced that tests from emergency surgery he had earlier this month to stop internal bleeding were positive for cancer. Rose had his spleen and a portion of his pancreas removed during the surgery.
Rose's family says the coach had additional tests at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City last weekend. Doctors will decide on his treatment.

Rose is recuperating at home.

The BYU coaching staff will handle the daily basketball operations, including summer basketball camps, while Rose undergoes treatment.

BYU is 97-34 in four seasons under Rose.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Drew Gordon of UCLA has partially torn the patellar tendon in his right knee during tryouts for the U.S. team that will play in the Under-19 world basketball championships.
The sophomore forward was hurt Tuesday in Colorado Springs, Colo., the university said Wednesday. Gordon was scheduled to return to Los Angeles on Wednesday night, when he will be further evaluated.
There were no immediate details about his prognosis, the school said.

"It is an unfortunate event, but Drew is a resilient kid and he'll get through it," UCLA coach Ben Howland said in a statement.
In 2007, Gordon broke his right hand while playing in the USA Basketball men's youth development festival.

Last season, Gordon averaged 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds while playing in 34 games for the Bruins, whom he led in field-goal percentage at 56 percent.

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Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody has opted to pull his name out of the NBA Draft pool and return to school for his senior season, his father, Dave, told SI.com.

Harangody vacillated on his decision up until Monday afternoon, gathering late information from a multi-team workout conducted on Sunday in New Jersey. Despite receiving quality feedback from NBA teams -- league sources had been pleasantly surprised with Harangody's athleticism and shooting range -- the lack of a first-round guarantee was a major factor in his decision, as was the opportunity to get the Fighting Irish back to the NCAA tournament after missing the dance last season.

"Luke has some unfinished business in South Bend," Dave Harangody said. "Making this decision took a huge weight off his shoulders, and this lets him go back and have another year with his friends at Notre Dame."

Harangody averaged 23.3 points and 11.8 rebounds as a junior for the Fighting Irish, who went 21-15 and were relegated to the NIT. With Harangody back in the fold -- as well as point guard Tory Jackson returning, and transfers Scott Martin and Ben Hansbrough becoming eligible -- Notre Dame will have a strong chance to finish in the upper tier of the Big East in 2009-10.

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Rutgers star Epiphanny Prince is skipping her senior season to play professionally in Europe, the first American woman to do so.

The school said Tuesday she has not signed with an agent or chosen a team. She plans to enter the 2010 WNBA draft.

Prince averaged more than 19 points last season as a junior and was a third team All-American. She guided Rutgers to the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament last season.

Candace Parker left Tennessee with a year of eligibility remaining, but she already had graduated when she was the top pick in the WNBA draft in 2008. Male basketball players have been leaving early for the NBA for years.

Prince's decision was first reported by The New York Times on its Web site.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Kentucky top scorer Jodie Meeks has decided to leave the Wildcats and remain in consideration for the NBA draft.

Coach John Calipari posted Monday on Twitter that Meeks had called to let him know about the decision. The school also released a statement.

"I want to thank the fans and the city of Lexington," Meeks said in the statement. "They have been great and I will always be a Kentucky Wildcat. I feel comfortable with my decision and I'm confident in my ability. My family and I talked over the weekend and decided this was the best decision."

Calipari wrote on Twitter that he understood the decision for Meeks, who led the Southeastern Conference in scoring and was eighth nationally with 23.7 points.

"He's excited and I'm excited for him," Calipari said. "I wish I got the chance to coach him

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HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun is out of the hospital, a day after breaking five ribs in a bicycle accident.

Calhoun, 67, biked at least 16 miles after hitting a pothole and falling during Saturday's 50-mile annual Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge Ride bike ride.

He completed the ride, but collapsed while talking to friends near the finish line in Simsbury. He was taken to the UConn Medical Center in Farmington where he was treated for his injuries and dehydration.

After being released from the hospital Sunday, Calhoun said he planned to "go home and rest for a couple of days."

Calhoun is a three-time cancer survivor. Organizers say the ride may have raised up to $300,000 for Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the hospit

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Former NBA coaches Reggie Theus and P.J. Carlesimo have emerged as two of the leading candidates for the USC basketball job, independent sources familiar with the situation said. Another source said Lakers assistant Jim Cleamons has already talked with USC Athletic Director Mike Garrett, whose football and basketball programs are under NCAA investigation. There were no indications that Garrett was close to making a decision.

Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-usc-basketball17-2009jun17,0,4517465.story)

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The latest buzz is that 6-foot-6 Harrison Barnes, the consensus No. 1 incoming senior prep basketball player in the nation and someone of whom the Minnesota Gophers have been in hot pursuit, is leaning toward Kansas.
St. Paul Pioneer Press (http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_12585998)

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Clemson coach Oliver Purnell has agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Tigers through 2016 -- and keep him the school's highest-paid coach.

While the deal hasn't been signed, Purnell and athletic director Terry Don Phillips have signed a memoradum of understanding dated June 1 that outlines the improved package.

Purnell's base salary jumped $50,000 a year to $275,000. His supplemental income improved to $1.075 million each year, up from $775,000 guaranteed in a two-year extension agreed to in 2008

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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Tulsa athletic director Bubba Cunningham said Monday that Doug Wojcik has agreed to a new six-year contract to remain as the Golden Hurricane's basketball coach.

Cunningham said the new deal adds a two-year extension to Wojcik's previous contract, which now runs through the 2014-15 season. The deal would keep Wojcik at Tulsa until he turns 51 years old.

Because Tulsa is a private school, other details of the contract were not revealed. Wojcik last received an extension two years ago.

"We've done this every two years," Wojcik told The Associated Press, calling the six-year deal "a nice length of time. It's a commitment both ways without it being over the top. We've always addressed it every two years. That gives me stability with recruits. I like the six. It's a good number."

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The College of William & Mary in Virginia is looking for a few good mascot ideas. One suggestion? An asparagus stalk. More than 400 nominations have been submitted to the 15-member William & Mary Mascot Search Committee since April 1. On Monday a headline in The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot boldly asked, "Wanted: William & Mary mascot. Got an idea?"

"It's been fun," Susan T. Evans, a committee member who created the online communities to open up the process, told the Virginian-Pilot. "We have a lot of great options to consider."

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Police in Los Angeles say former Southern California basketball player Stais Boseman has been arrested for allegedly taking part in a carjacking.

Police spokeswoman April Harding says the 35-year-old Boseman was taken into custody about 3 a.m. Sunday in South Los Angeles and booked for investigation of carjacking. He was being held in lieu of more than $111,000 bail.

Harding did not have any details of the carjacking.

At the USC, Boseman averaged 11.9 points and 3.5 rebounds from 1993-97. He started 26 of 27 games as a senior when he averaged 16 points and 4.1 rebounds.

He went on to play briefly for the Houston Rockets and several minor league teams.

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Basketball announced the final rosters for its U-19 World Championship and World University Games teams on Thursday, after conducting concurrent trials over the previous two days.

The 19-and-under team, coached by Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon, will consist of Washington State's DeAngelo Casto and Klay Thompson, Duke's Seth Curry, Pitt's Ashton Gibbs, Butler's Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack, Kentucky's Darius Miller, UTEP's Arnett Moultrie, Northwestern's John Shurna, Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor, Georgia's Howard Thompkins and Ole Miss' Terrico White. The team will compete in the FIBA U19 World Championships in New Zealand from July 2-12.

Four players were cut from U-19 trials: West Virginia's Darryl "Truck" Bryant, Minnesota's Ralph Sampson III, Florida-bound high schooler Kenny Boynton, and Pitt-bound high-schooler Dante Taylor. UCLA's Drew Gordon withdrew from the trials with a patella tendon in right knee.

The World University Games team, coached by Wisconsin's Bo Ryan, will consist of Oklahoma State's James Anderson, Penn State's Talor Battle, Clemson's Trevor Booker, Iowa State's Craig Brackins, West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler, Villanova's Corey Fisher, Marquette's Lazar Hayward, Purdue's Robbie Hummel, Washington's Quincy Pondexter, North Carolina's Deon Thompson, Ohio State's Evan Turner and Mississippi State's Jarvis Varnado. The team will compete in Belgrade, Serbia from July 1-12.

Four players were cut from the WUG trials: Purdue's JaJuan Johnson, South Florida's Dominique Jones, Illinois' Mike Tisdale and Arizona's Nic Wise. Kansas' Sherron Collins, who had been expected to try out for the WUG team, withdrew from the trials on Monday, citing family reasons.

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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- The state Board of Regents has approved a five-year contract for new Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller that will pay him $1.6 million annually.

The board, which oversees the state's three public universities, unanimously approved the deal at its meeting in Flagstaff on Thursday.

Miller was 120-47 in five seasons at Xavier before taking the Arizona job in April.

The Arizona Daily Star reported on its Web site that Miller's contract calls for a $900,000 base salary with an additional $700,000 for peripheral duties through 2014. On top of that, he'll receive $400,000 from outside sources each year.

The agreement also has a clause that essentially guarantees Miller a job for seven years, calling for the contract to be renewed an extra two years after his first two seasons on the job providing there are no grounds to fire him.

Arizona would be required to pay the 40-year-old coach $4.8 million if he was fired during the first year of the contract, $4 million during his second year and $3.2 million during the third year. The buyout would drop to $1.6 million during Miller's fourth year with the Wildcats.

If Miller leaves before the contract ends, he would owe the university $500,000.

The contract is loaded with incentives, including an extra $1 million to finish it out.

Miller would earn an extra $25,000 if his team meets minimum NCAA academic standards; $50,000 if the Wildcats win a regular-season Pac-10 championship; $50,000 if they win the Pac-10 Tournament, $300,000 for a Final Four appearance and $675,000 for a national championship.

Other benefits in Miller's contract include the use of two vehicles, tickets to university sporting events, country club privileges and the use of a private jet for 30 hours a year.

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He might not have been the first choice . . . or the second . . . or possibly even the third. But Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Kevin O'Neill has been picked to take over the troubled USC (http://www.fannation.com/tags/show_tag/6469) basketball program. The announcement today came after a nearly two-week search during which USC (http://www.fannation.com/tags/show_tag/6469) was turned down twice by Pittsburgh Coach Jamie Dixon and once by Nevada Las Vegas Coach Lon Kruger. USC (http://www.fannation.com/tags/show_tag/6469) officials also got a cold shoulder from former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy.
Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-kevin-oneill-usc-2009jun21,0,7364316.story)

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Lance Stephenson has graced the covers of national basketball magazines. Now, the kid they call "Born Ready" is struggling to find a school. Just days away from his high school graduation, he's the only player in ESPN's Top 100 yet to commit to a school. Some have cited Stephenson's on-court demeanor as a turn-off. Others were scared away by questions surrounding his eligibility, a pending sexual assault case and rumors of Stephenson's possible involvement with an agent. His father's constant presence caused some programs to cease courting the Coney Island star.
New York Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/06/21/2009-06-21_end_zone_who_wants_lance.html)

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Might Lance Stephenson be succeeding Stephon Marbury as Zeke's newest freak? While in Orlando, an on-campus source informed me the Lincoln HS whiz had a sleepover a couple of weeks ago at Florida International University in Miami. Far be it from me to insinuate coach Isiah Thomas did anything funny to make that happen, but it ain't easy getting close to Stephenson.
New York Post (http://www.nypost.com/seven/06192009/sports/moresports/lincoln_star_stephenson_in_sights_175022.htm)

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According to the Arizona Daily Star, former USC (http://www.fannation.com/tags/show_tag/6469) basketball recruit Lamont Jones plans to visit UA as well as Florida (http://www.fannation.com/tags/show_tag/6269) in the near future, says his his high school coach. Jones, a 5-11 point guard from New York who is playing at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia (http://www.fannation.com/tags/show_tag/6477), had considered the Wildcats and the Gators before signing with the Trojans in April. He was released from his letter of intent last week, after Tim Floyd resigned as head coach.
Arizona Republic (http://www.azcentral.com/sports/ua/articles/2009/06/17/20090617spt-uavisit.html)

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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- BYU basketball coach Dave Rose is planning on a lot more rest than usual this summer.

After all, he's got to prepare for another season.

Just weeks after learning he had a form of pancreatic cancer, Rose said Wednesday that doctors appeared to have gotten all the cancerous tumor during emergency surgery to remove his spleen.

The tumor had started in his pancreas, but was a slow-growing type of cancer and did not appear to have spread.

"That was a tough day, but it was a good day because it could have been a lot worse," said Rose, who plans to be back for a fifth season with the Cougars as long as his health holds.

Because there are no signs of cancer remaining, Rose said he won't have to go through chemotherapy this summer. He plans resting and being back with his team this fall.

"I believe that I'm a lucky guy. I believe I've been met with a challenge, but it's a challenge that is manageable," Rose said. "It's a challenge that I can handle and continue to do what I love to do."

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LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The Western Athletic Conference is moving its season-ending men's and women's basketball tournaments to Las Vegas in 2011.

The two-year deal announced Wednesday puts the tournaments at the Orleans Arena in 2011 and 2012. The arena is attached to The Orleans Hotel and Casino, just west of the Las Vegas Strip.

WAC Commissioner Karl Benson believes Las Vegas will be a good destination for fans, and the arena a strong neutral site for the conference championships.

"It happened probably quicker than anybody expected," Benson said. "Las Vegas is a big market and it has a big name attached to it."

The deal calls for the tournaments to be held March 8-11, 2011, and March 6-10, 2012, during the same time the Mountain West Conference expects to hold its tournaments at the Thomas & Mack Center, the home arena of UNLV.

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MIAMI (AP) -- At FIU, the economic downturn is nothing to cheer about.

FIU eliminated its cheerleading team Wednesday, part of a plan to cut more than $1 million -- roughly 6 percent -- from the Golden Panthers' athletic budget for the coming year.

More cuts, including layoffs and other unspecified reductions, will be announced in the coming weeks. FIU is not planning to eliminate any varsity teams; the Golden Panthers offer five sports for men and eight for women, with what was planned as a $16 million operating budget.

"This economy has forced us to make some very touch choices," FIU athletic director Pete Garcia said. "The decision to discontinue our cheerleading program was one of them."

Plans to cut the sports budget were announced this spring, and the school immediately implemented some belt-tightening measures. The baseball team bussed to games in North Carolina and Alabama instead of flying this spring, and it's expected that faraway travel will be restricted for the school's Olympic sports, such as track and field, swimming and diving, and tennis.

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- Michael Jordan's son, Jeff, is leaving Illinois after two seasons.

The former walk-on guard surprised nearly everyone Wednesday by announcing that he plans to focus on his studies, just a few months after Illinois coach Bruce Weber said Jordan had a chance to earn more playing time and even a leadership role during his junior year.
"I loved playing for the Fighting Illini and appreciate the support I was given by my teammates, coaches and the great fans here," Jordan in a statement. "But I have come to the point where I'm ready to focus on life after basketball."

Jordan got a scholarship before the 2009 spring semester. In all, he appeared in 59 career games, totaling 58 points, 42 assists and 24 rebounds. A defensive specialist, Jordan averaged 8.4 minutes as a sophomore after playing 5.3 minutes per game as a true freshman

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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Coach K remains Duke University's highest-paid employee.

The school's most recent IRS documents were obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. They show that Duke paid men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski more than $3.6 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2008.

The Hall of Fame coach made about $2.2 million during the previous year.

Krzyzewski's current salary is about 31/2 times that of Duke's next highest-paid employee. Dr. Ralph Snyderman, the university's chancellor emeritus, made about $983,000.

Former women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors, who's now at Texas, also made the school's list of top earners. Duke paid her nearly $500,000 in deferred compensation.

The salaries were first reported by The Herald-Sun of Durham

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- New Albany high school basketball star Donnie Hale has committed to Purdue, but without a scholarship offer from coach Matt Painter.

Purdue doesn't have a scholarship available for the 2010 class, but the Boilermakers have several NBA prospects and a defection after the upcoming season would free one up. Hale told the Journal & Courier of Lafayette he would go to prep school for a year if a scholarship wasn't available.

Hale averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds last season for a New Albany team that finished 24-1. The 6-foot-8 forward joins a 2010 Purdue recruiting class with Danville center Travis Carroll, Indianapolis North Central guard Terone Johnson and Chicago Whitney Young guard Anthony Johnson.

Hale visited Oklahoma State and Xavier

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Former Syracuse star Jonny Flynn joined the show to talk about the NBA draft.

-- Flynn said he's 6-foot, 195 pounds. He said that the only concern he's heard from scouts is about his height. Can he defend a Chauncey Billups?

-- Dan asked Flynn what he would do if LeBron James pinned him down low. Flynn said he would call for help from anyone who would listen ... assistant coaches, etc.

-- Flynn said LeBron gave him good advice about going pro. James just wanted Flynn to do what was best for him.

-- Flynn said he understands why Ricky Rubio might go ahead of him because of the passing skills the Spanish star has displayed.

-- Flynn said he would love to play for the Knicks, the team he grew up rooting for.

-- Flynn said he plans to go with the conservative look with his draft suit.

-- Flynn offiically promised to drop "Passion Bucket" at the draft.

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe is returning to the bench after an eight-year absence.

Ellerbe was hired Thursday as an assistant at George Washington, joining the staff of head coach Karl Hobbs.

Ellerbe was fired in 2001 after four years with the Wolverines. He took the team to the NCAA tournament in his first season in Michigan, but the team slumped over the following three years and his final record was 62-60 -- only 26-38 in the Big Ten.

Ellerbe has since been working as a basketball consultant for collegiate and youth programs and as the vice president for corporate development for Madison Grace Construction Services in Bowie, Md., where he went to high school.

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MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Marquette guard Maurice Acker will skip his final year of eligibility because he's on track to graduate in December.
Coach Buzz Williams said in a statement Thursday that Acker is one semester short of completing his degree and they agreed it was in his best interest to make that his priority.

Acker is from Hazel Crest, Ill., and played two seasons for the Golden Eagles after transferring from Ball State in 2006.

The 5-foot-8 guard made eight starts and played in 68 games for Marquette. He averaged 3.7 points and 1.8 assists.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Hawk Hill's extreme makeover is nearly complete.

Saint Joseph's Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse is in the final stages of a $35 million expansion plan that has transformed the antiquated gym into a spacious, NBA-type structure that will give future Hawks plenty of room to stretch their wings.

It's out with the cramped offices and compact locker rooms that weakened recruiting pitches, and in with all the modern amenities usually found in any major power conference program.
Flat screens, soda machines, and video game systems should make the modern-day recruit feel at home.

Exclusive rooms and more seats give the Fieldhouse a more welcoming environment for every fan from freshman first-timers to upscale donors

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Ex-Duke basketball player Elliot Williams says he'll transfer to the University of Memphis.

Williams, a rising sophomore guard, was granted his release Wednesday from Duke because his mom is sick.

He told The Commercial-Appeal on Saturday that he's planning to transfer to Memphis, in his hometown, because being closer to his family is the most important thing. It was one of the four schools he'd been considering, along with Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Tennessee.

He's declined to be more specific about his mother's illness.
He says he's seeking a waiver of the NCAA rule forcing student-athletes to sit out a year after transferring.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- The University of Kentucky Athletics Association says former Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie has sued the wrong people and in the wrong place.

The athletics association has asked a federal judge in Texas to either dismiss Gillispie's lawsuit over his firing or move the case to Kentucky. In a motion filed Friday in federal court, the association's attorneys say the school has minimum contact with the state of Texas, giving the court there no jurisdiction to hear Gillispie's claims.

The association's attorneys also claim the University of Kentucky, not the athletics association, hired Gillispie and paid him.
Gillispie sued the University of Kentucky Athletics Association in federal court in Dallas on May 27, claiming fraud and breach of contract. Gillispie claims the school never intended to sign him to long-term deal. The school has denied the allegations. He is seeking at least $6 million -- about $1.5 million per year for four of the five years he says were left on his agreement.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas coach John Pelphrey says he's "excited" for Patrick Beverley after the former Razorback was drafted in the second round of the NBA draft last week.

Beverley, who played two seasons for the Razorbacks, said recently that someone wrote a paper for him while he was at Arkansas. He also made comments that implicated teammates, but later backed off those statements.

On Monday, Pelphrey showed no animosity toward Beverley, who was suspended from the Razorbacks last August and left to play for a Ukrainian team.

Beverley was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Miami Heat acquired him in a trade.

Arkansas struggled after Beverley's departure, winning only two Southeastern Conference games last season. The Razorbacks return all five starters next season

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- After a frantic day that had Kansas fans fretting they might lose a prized recruit, Xavier Henry texted a local radio station late Tuesday night saying he decided to stay with the Jayhawks.

Earlier, the father of Xavier and his brother, C.J. Henry, said there would be a family meeting on Tuesday and that the two might not play at Kansas, after all.

But late Tuesday, Xavier Henry sent a text message to Cory Anderson of the Chris and Cowboy Show on 610 Sports Radio confirming he would not change his mind.

"I'm goin to Kansas and that's final," the text read.
Xavier Henry, a 6-foot-6 guard, is considered one of the most talented players Kansas coach Bill Self has ever recruited. Adding him to a deep and experienced squad which returns almost everyone from the team that reached the NCAA round of 16 last season would likely make the Jayhawks preseason favorites for the national championship.

Xavier and his older brother, C.J., were headed to Memphis before switching to Kansas in the wake of John Calipari's decision to leave Memphis and coach at Kentucky.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Louisville will have its hands full trying to defend its Big East title.

The Cardinals will play Connecticut, Syracuse and St. John's twice in 2009-2010 as part of its 18-game Big East schedule.

Louisville will play home-and-home games with all three teams. The Cardinals will also host Cincinnati, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Syracuse and Villanova. Louisville's road schedule includes games at DePaul, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall and West Virginia.

The Cardinals went 31-6 last year, including a 16-2 mark in the Big East as Louisville won both the regular season and conference tournament titles before losing in the regional finals of the NCAA tournament.

Coach Rick Pitino said there is no easy way out of the Big East and he anticipates another highly competitive season.

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- The United States started its bid for its first world junior title in 18 years with a 106-55 win over Iran on the opening day of the FIBA under-19 world basketball championships on Thursday.

Shooting guard Tyshawn Taylor scored 13 points for the United States, which last won the world tournament at Edmonton, Alberta, in 1991.

Point guard Seth Curry, son of former NBA star Dell Curry and brother of top draft pick Stephen Curry, had 12 points while power forward John Shurna scored 11 points and had 10 rebounds.

The U.S. started slowly and trailed 10-8 after five minutes, then went on a big run to lead 30-13 at the end of the first quarter and 55-27 at halftime.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Kansas coach Bill Self's fence-mending trip worked: Xavier and C.J. Henry are still coming to Lawrence to play for the Jayhawks.

A day after traveling to Oklahoma City for an air-clearing meeting with two of his prized recruits, Self said Wednesday that Xavier and C.J. will play for Kansas next season.

"It's resolved, at least from everybody's perspective who's involved in the process," Self said.

The tension started this week, following a story about the Henry family in The Kansas City Star.

Carl Henry, the brothers' father and a former KU player, told a Kansas City radio station he was concerned the story portrayed Xavier and C.J. as selfish and uninterested in attending college classes. He said the story, while factually accurate, made his sons look like prima donnas

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BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) -- Butler will meet Georgetown and Indiana will face Pittsburgh in this year's Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.

The pairings for the Dec. 8 doubleheader were announced Wednesday.

This will be the 15th annual Jimmy V Classic and the seventh played in New York City. The games are part of the fundraising effort for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which is named for the late Jim Valvano, who led North Carolina State to the national championship in 1983.

It will be the first ever meeting between Butler and Georgetown, while Indiana holds a 4-3 lead in the series with Pittsburgh.

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- Howard Thompkins III scored 22 points and the United States stayed perfect with an 85-69 win over Greece in a second-round game at the FIBA under-19 world championships Monday.

Also, Rutgers guard Michael Rosario scored a tournament-high 54 points and Puerto Rico edged France 90-89.

The United States (4-0) will face Puerto Rico (3-1) on Tuesday.
The top four teams from each six-team second-round group advance to Friday's quarterfinals. The gold medal final is Sunday.

The 6-foot-4 New Jersey-born Rosario made 18 of 29 shots from the field, nine of 13 from three-point range and nine of 10 free throws and added seven rebounds and four steals.

Rosario is averaging 31.75 points for Puerto Rico at the tournament. As a freshman, he led Rutgers in scoring last season at 16.2 points per game.

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- The attorney for Mississippi State signee Renardo Sidney and his parents says meetings with the NCAA on Monday and Tuesday were "productive."

The Sidneys met with NCAA investigators at the Montgomery, Ala., offices of attorney Don Jackson, answered questions about their finances and are now returning to Los Angeles.

Jackson doesn't expect a quick resolution, but after listening to the NCAA's questions he thinks Sidney's case could be wrapped up by the time the season starts

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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- New Arizona basketball coach Sean Miller has added to his already impressive first recruiting class.

Point guard Lamont "MoMo" Jones of New York, and forward Derrick Williams of La Mirada, Calif., have signed letters of intent to play for the Wildcats, the school said Tuesday.

Jones was rated the 68th-best high school senior overall and 11th-best point guard by Rivals.com. The 6-foot-7 Williams was rated 72nd overall and the 25th-best power forward.

Jones averaged 21 points and eight assists per game in leading Oak Hill Academy to a 41-1 record last season. Williams averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range for La Mirada High School.

The signings give Miller five new recruits. The others are Solomon Hill, Kyryl Natazhko and Kevin Parrom

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Looks like Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins are staying at Kentucky.

The Wildcats finalized their 2009-10 scholarship roster on Wednesday, and it includes both.

Harrellson, a junior forward, and Liggins, a sophomore point guard, weren't sure they'd remain with the team when the Wildcats hired John Calipari as head coach in the spring.

They will join holdovers Patrick Patterson, Ramon Harris, Darius Miller and Perry Stevenson. The roster includes six newcomers, including highly touted freshmen guards Eric Bledsoe and John Wall and forwards DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton. Freshman forward Jon Hood and sophomore forward Darnell Dodson round out the scholarship roster.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina reported 14 NCAA secondary violations the past six months, including five in the first-year program of men's basketball coach Darrin Horn.

The football program was cited for three violations while track and field accounted for two. The school released the violations Monday because of open records requests made by The Associated Press and other media outlets.

Four of the five basketball infractions were classified as Level II, a less severe category. The Level I violation took place Feb. 13 and involved a prospect and current player receiving impermissible entertainment during an official visit.

The names of the athletes or coaches involved were not released

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl will earn $1.9 million for the 2009-10 season under new terms of his contract, which has been extended one year to the 2014-15 season.

The new contract terms give Pearl an additional $200,000 each year. In addition to his salary, Pearl will be paid a $500,000 longevity bonus this year that he was already due to receive for staying five seasons with the Volunteers, bringing the year's total to $2.4 million.

His salary is paid for by revenue generated by the self-funding Tennessee athletic department.

"The University of Tennessee has so much to offer, from great academic programs to incredible athletic resources to the most passionate fans in the country," Pearl said in a statement. "I look forward to being the men's basketball coach at Tennessee for many more years."

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MIAMI (AP) -- The next chapter of Isiah Thomas' coaching career will start amid familiar territory for the Hall of Famer: the Big 10.
FIU's new coach is prepping to debut Nov. 9 at Ohio State in the opening round of a Coaches vs. Cancer tournament. The matchup has been in the works for months and is expected to be formally announced later this summer. Thomas -- a Chicago native who grew up watching and eventually playing in the Big 10 -- says it'll add extra significance to his first night with the Golden Panthers.

"Big 10 country," Thomas said Thursday, as he played in a charity golf tournament hosted by Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade, taking a rare break from his FIU workload. "If at some point and time you're going to be able to compete with the big boys, you might as well just jump right into the fire and get started.

"We'll take our lumps during the season," Thomas added. "But if we can be ready by March, that's what you're really peaking for."

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Police have interviewed Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino about allegations brought by a woman charged with trying to extort him, his lawyer said Monday.

Attorney Steve Pence said Pitino has been cooperating in the investigation and that the allegations are false. The woman, Karen Cunagin Sypher, has pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of trying to extort money from Pitino and lying to the FBI.

Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Stengel said the Louisville police sex-offense unit contacted him last week to tell him Cunagin Sypher had made a complaint and that it was turning the matter over to Stengel after the investigation is complete, probably this week.
Louisville police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley said police have spoken with the woman but wouldn't comment further.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz spoke confidently Monday about his improved front line, increased depth and determination to erase the memories of the worst season of his career.

His athletic director expects that turnaround -- quickly.
Frustrated with the 49ers' 11-20 record last season and the inability to match their Conference USA success in the Atlantic 10, Judy Rose indicated Lutz faces a "critical year" in 2009-10.

"We've had time to adjust to this league," Rose said. "It's time for us to step up and be one of the better teams."

While Rose said she hasn't demanded Lutz reach a certain number of wins or other benchmarks, the coach is feeling pressure again as he prepares for his 12th season at his alma mater.

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AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- The United States broke an 18-year gold medal drought by beating Greece 88-80 on Sunday to win the FIBA under-19 world basketball championships.

Kansas' Tyshawn Taylor had 18 points and five steals to lead the U.S. to its first victory at the world junior tournament since it claimed the gold medal in Canada in 1991.

"It was a tough game. Greece played their hearts out but I think in the end we wanted it more," Taylor said. "They did what we expected, made a lot of big shots but we managed to tough it out.

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LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Spinal surgery for former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian has been delayed.

The operation had been scheduled for Tuesday in California. The Las Vegas Sun reports that Tarkanian's son, Danny Tarkanian, says his father's blood is too thin for surgery.

Doctors at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla will monitor the 79-year-old Tarkanian the next few days. They are to remove a bone spur pressing on the spinal cord. Tarkanian has had difficulty walking for several years.

The coach had a 509-105 record at UNLV from 1973 to 1992, including the 1990 NCAA championship.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Guard Elliot Williams has started classes at Memphis after transferring from Duke, where he played his freshman season with the Blue Devils.

Memphis coach Josh Pastner announced Wednesday that the 6-foot-4, 180-pound guard began classes Tuesday as part of the university's second summer session. Pastner said the Tigers welcomed the well-known Memphis native into the family.

Williams helped Duke to a 30-7 record and played in 34 of 37 games. He announced earlier this summer he was transferring closer to home to be near his sick mother. He plans to ask the NCAA for a waiver from its rule forcing student-athletes to sit out a year after transferring.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- A state prosecutor said Wednesday a complaint filed by a woman in an alleged extortion attempt of Louisville coach Rick Pitino won't be prosecuted because it lacks supporting evidence.

Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney David Stengel said he was taking no action on the complaint Karen Cunagin Sypher filed to the police department's sex-offense unit last week. The report has not been released publicly.

Sypher has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of trying to extort money from Pitino and lying to the FBI. She is accused of demanding college tuition for her children, her house to be paid off and, eventually, $10 million.

Pitino's attorney, Steve Pence, said her complaint was void of credibility.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Providence men's basketball coach Keno Davis has been given a contract extension after winning 19 games in his first season with the Friars.

Davis, a former AP national coach of the year at Drake, went 10-8 in the Big East last season and 19-14 overall. He set a Providence record for the most wins by a first-season head coach. The Friars won the most games since 2004 but lost to Miami in the first round of the NIT.

A new contract announced Tuesday will keep him at Providence through at least 2015-16.

Athletic Director Bob Driscoll, who also signed a contract extension, says the new deal is a vote of confidence in Davis's performance so far

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Purdue forward Robbie Hummel is working his way back from injury.

Hummel's back injury almost kept him from trying out for the USA World University Games team, which just won a bronze medal. Purdue coach Matt Painter said the opportunity was too good to pass up.

Hummel averaged 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds during seven games in Serbia.

The 6-foot-8 forward was the Big Ten preseason player of the year last season as a sophomore. He missed several games with a hairline fracture in his lower back, but returned to help Purdue reach the Sweet 16.

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Anthony Mason Jr. was granted a medical hardship by the Big East Conference on Tuesday and will rejoin the Red Storm for a redshirt senior season in 2009-10.

Mason played in just three games last season after tearing a tendon in his left foot. He had surgery in December and was cleared to return to the court for offseason voluntary workouts in early June.
"Having been out for almost the whole year, I watched and learned a lot," said Mason, the son of former New York Knick Anthony Mason. "I can't wait to go out and perform with my team on the court this season."

Mason was a Big East honorable mention pick after his junior season in 2007-08 when he led the team in scoring with a 14.0 average.
For the last seven months, Mason's recovery from the injury and rehabilitation from the surgery was followed by a camera crew from MTV. Mason will be featured in an upcoming episode of the MTV "True Life" documentary series, titled, "True Life: I'm Rehabbing My Sports Injury

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SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) -- The West Coast Conference tournament is staying in Vegas.

The WCC and Orleans Arena have signed a three-year contract extension to keep the men's and women's conference basketball tournaments in Las Vegas through 2012. It's a significant step for a mid-major league looking to make more of an impact nationally, because the top conferences play their tournaments at neutral sites.

The WCC sold out Orleans Arena this past March for its first tournament not played at one of the conference's eight schools, setting WCC records for both total championship attendance (33,320) and single-session championship attendance (7,845).

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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) -- East Tennessee State sophomore center Seth Coy was killed when his car hydroplaned on a wet highway and flipped.

The 6-foot-11 Coy was driving through Shelby County in Kentucky on his way home to Montgomery, Ind., on Wednesday about 5 p.m. when the single-car accident occurred.

Shelby Sheriff's Department Detective Jason Rice told the Johnson City Press that Coy, 19, was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.

In a statement, ETSU coach Murry Bartow described Coy as "a great young man with a pleasant personality, a wonderful sense of humor, and a really bright future."

Coy played in 24 games as a freshman, averaging 2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.8 minut

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- The attorney for Mississippi State basketball signee Renardo Sidney says the NCAA requested more information Wednesday in its investigation of the heralded recruit's amateur status.

This time investigators with the NCAA's eligibility center want the tax returns of not only Sidney's parents, but his grandparents. And Montgomery, Ala.-based attorney Don Jackson said that goes too far.
Jackson said the latest request "represents an illegal intrusion" into the family's right to privacy and that the investigation has "troubling racial overtones."

"In effect, this investigation has required that two generations of an African-American family prove to the NCAA that they have the financial ability to support themselves," Jackson said.

Jackson also said the NCAA investigator who sent him the e-mail request said Sidney would not be cleared to play for the Bulldogs this season unless the tax returns are turned over.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- Defending national champion North Carolina is coming to Charleston next season.

The College of Charleston said Wednesday that the Tar Heels will play the Cougars on Jan. 4 at the Carolina First Arena. Charleston lost at North Carolina last season.

The Cougars opened their 5,100-seat arena a year ago.
Charleston coach Bobby Cremins said North Carolina coach Roy Williams is a longtime friend and is thrilled to bring the NCAA tournament champions to the Southern Conference venue.

North Carolina is 3-2 all time against the Cougars, including a 108-72 victory at Chapel Hill a season ago

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COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Former Missouri basketball coach Norm Stewart has left his job as a university ambassador now that a $1 billion fundraising campaign is complete.

The college basketball Hall of Fame member retired from coaching in 1999 with 731 career victories. He stuck around as special assistant to the chancellor and helped with the "For All We Call Mizzou" campaign.
The 74-year-old Stewart recently told friends and supporters he is no longer working for the university. Chancellor Brady Deaton told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he hopes Stewart and his wife will continue to represent the school when the next major fundraising campaign begins.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Vanderbilt Commodores are about to go down under for some preseason bonding and extra play time.

The Commodores announced Wednesday they leave Friday for a five-game, 10-day tour of Australia visiting Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Townsville. The trip takes Vanderbilt to the home country of junior center A.J. Ogilvy, who is from Sydney.

Ogilvy says he is excited for family and friends to come watch him play while showing his teammates around his country.

Coach Kevin Stallings calls the trip a great team-building experience mixed with the chance to play quality international competition.

The schedule includes teams from different Australian basketball leagues and the Australian Institute of Sports where Ogilvy once played

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PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Chase Adams, a point guard at Centenary who was the defensive player of the year last season in the Summit League, is transferring to Pittsburgh for his senior season and will be eligible immediately.

Adams doesn't have to sit out a season because Centenary is dropping from NCAA Division I to Division III.

The 5-foot-10 Adams averaged 14 points and shot 39 percent from 3-point range last season. He supplies depth at a position where the Panthers must replace Levance Fields, a three-year starter who helped lead the Panthers to an NCAA regional final last season.

Ashton Gibbs, a shooting guard, is expected to move to point guard. The only other Pitt player at the position is redshirt freshman Travon Woodall.

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ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia Tech forward Kammeon Holsey is preparing for knee surgery that will force him to miss the upcoming basketball season.
Holsey, a 6-foot-8 freshman, will have surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He was hurt while playing basketball on Aug. 1, the school said Monday.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said the injury "is obviously a blow to Kam" but said a full recovery is expected.

Holsey is part of a freshman class ranked among the best in the nation

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VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) -- Villanova guard Reggie Redding has been kicked off the team for the fall semester two weeks after being charged with possession of marijuana.

School officials say Redding will remain enrolled in classes and could return to the team in late December if coach Jay Wright and the athletic department approves.

Redding was charged July 31 with possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8.
Wright says Redding is a quality person and has learned from the experience.

Redding started 22 games last season and averaged 7.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists as the Wildcats advanced to the Final Four for the first time since winning the national championship in 1985

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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Duke is adding guard Andre Dawkins to its incoming recruiting class for this fall.

The school said Friday that Dawkins had signed an offer of admission after passing a final course requirement to earn his high school diploma this summer.

Dawkins had attended four years of high school, though he went to one year of public high school before transferring to Atlantic Shores Christian School and was classified as a freshman again. After learning he lacked only one English class required for NCAA eligibility, Dawkins decided to pursue early admission to Duke.

The 6-foot-4 guard was ranked as one of the top shooting guards in the country. His addition bolsters a team that is thin on the perimeter after the losses of Greg Paulus and Elliot Williams.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- It wasn't long ago that Bobby Cremins wondered if he was done coaching. Now, he's agreed to stick around the College of Charleston even longer than he had planned.


Cremins said on Friday he signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the Cougars through the 2013-14 season.

"I remember a couple of years ago I was walking the beach in Hilton Head thinking I was finished," Cremins said by phone. "Now, I just love it."

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BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) -- Brian Vickers didn't see it coming. Brad Keselowski sure did.
With Vickers and Kyle Busch fighting it
out on the final lap, Keselowski swooped in to grab the lead in the final turn and hold on to the Nationwide Series race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.

"I knew they'd do what they did and that's why I was sitting there lurking," said Keselowski, a Michigan native. "The two of them together are a recipe for what you saw -- that's just putting it the way it is."
Vickers finished second and Busch third, and they exchanged some heated words on pit road afterward.

Busch said in a television interview that Vickers' tactics were "just stupid," and Vickers responded by saying that Busch came over to his car on pit road "crying like a little baby" but ran off when Vickers offered to get out and "talk about it like men."

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BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) -Carl Edwards thinks it's possible for a driver to win the Sprint Cup series championship without winning a single race all season.

He just doesn't want to be that guy.

Going into Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway, Edwards is one of four winless drivers among the top 12 in the series points standings. Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle also would qualify if the 10-race Chase for the championship started today - none of them has a win in 2009.

Could one of those four drivers qualify for the Chase, then go on to win the title, all without visiting victory lane even once? Edwards says yes - but hopes not.

"You could definitely win a championship without winning races,'' Edwards said. "I'd rather not win one that way.''

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) -- Western Kentucky University incoming freshman Terrence Boyd has been released from the Hilltoppers basketball team.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound shooting guard from Norman, Okla., signed with Western on April 15. Coach Ken McDonald announced Sunday that the player didn't work out but gave no reason in a statement.

Boyd played his freshman high school season at Norman High School before transferring to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia as a sophomore. He moved to California and finished his prep career at San Diego High School but was forced to sit out due to transfer rules

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Mississippi State basketball signee Renardo Sidney has been cleared academically by the NCAA Eligibility Center and has enrolled for fall classes.

The school made that announcement Monday.

The clearance will allow the 6-foot-10 power forward from Fairfax High in Los Angeles to participate in individual and conditioning workouts.
Sidney is still not eligible to compete as the NCAA investigates his amateur status.

Sidney has been under investigation since a Los Angeles Times article citing anonymous sources alleged the Mississippi native and his family were living in million-dollar homes without visible means of support while he played at Fairfax High.

Sidney averaged 23.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots this past season.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Rick Pitino calls it "branding," and for the last three decades the Louisville coach has carefully crafted the public persona of a winner.

For years, Pitino's brand has been among the best-selling in college sports, and he's channeled achievements on the court -- five Final Fours, 552 wins and a national title at Kentucky in 1996 -- into a lucrative business off it.

Pitino has co-authored three motivational guides and become a sought-after public speaker while endorsing products from fast food to video games. Longtime friend and popular local radio talk show host Terry Meiners has called the coach one of Louisville's "Fortune 500" companies.
It's unclear, however, what kind of a hit Pitino's brand will take following his very public apology last week for an "indiscretion" at a Louisville restaurant six years ago with a woman later accused of trying to extort millions from him.

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CINCINNATI (AP) -- Paul "Duke" Hogue, a star center on Cincinnati's back-to-back national championship basketball teams, has died at age 69.
His wife of 43 years, Patti Hogue, said he died Monday of heart and kidney failure.

The 6-foot-9-inch center helped lead the Bearcats to NCAA championships in 1961 and 1962, both times defeating Jerry Lucas-led Ohio State squads in the title games.

Hogue was chosen the most outstanding player in the 1962 NCAA tournament. He scored 36 points against UCLA in the semifinals.
Hogue was a first-round pick of the New York Knicks in the 1962 NBA draft, playing two seasons for the Knicks and the Baltimore Bullets.
He later was a board of education member for Princeton Schools in suburban Cincinnati.

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NEW YORK-- Nolan Richardson is in preliminary talks with the investor group behind the WNBA's expansion franchise in Tulsa about becoming its new head coach, SI.com learned on Thursday. The former Arkansas men's basketball coach met with the group earlier this week and is scheduled to interview with them again early next week. "I'm guessing part of the reason they are interested is that they know not only my abilities as a coach but my capability of putting butts in the seats," Richardson says.

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Now appearing at Kansas in what could be a very short off-Broadway run -- the famous Henry brothers.

The celebrated siblings from Oklahoma City finally arrived on campus this week and will probably help make the Jayhawks an early favorite for the upcoming NCAA championship.

Older brother C. J. Henry originally committed in the 2005 class that included future NBA players as Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush and Julian Wright.

Little brother Xavier Henry will probably fire away from out on the wing and said this week that he expects to be one-and-done, indicating that college is merely a relay station on his way to the NBA.

The brothers have been closely watched for some time. After 6-foot-4 C. J. Henry committed to Kansas, he was drafted by the New York Yankees and elected to give baseball a try. But he never got out of the low minors and wound up at Memphis on a basketball scholarship.

Xavier was going to join him there when he graduated high school this year. But then coach John Calipari took a job at Kentucky, and suddenly the Jayhawks, where their parents both played basketball, were back in the picture

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MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Ignoring any hard feelings about his abrupt departure for Indiana, Tom Crean returned to Marquette and was inducted into its sports hall of fame along with Dwyane Wade and the rest of the 2003 Final Four men's basketball on Saturday night.

The celebration was held at the Bradley Center, the site where Crean helped lead Marquette's resurgence in college basketball and, eventually, in the Big East.

"It's like anything else," the 15th head coach in Marquette basketball history said before the induction ceremony. "The memories are constant. You don't have to walk back in just to have great memories. I was part of a great team, one of the best teams in the history of Marquette."

Crean, who was hired on March 30, 1999, got Marquette moving forward in 2001-02, as he coached the Golden Eagles to a 26-7 record and the team's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1997. The 26 victories were the third-most all-time and represented the program's first 20-win season since 1997.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Vanderbilt men's basketball coach declined a $100,000 raise to pay for the Commodores' trip to Australia earlier this month.

The NCAA permits teams to take an international trip every four years. Vanderbilt went to Spain in 2003 had been eligible to travel again since 2007. Stallings had been planning the Australia trip for some time.

But, Vanderbilt cut it's athletic expenses by 20 percent and eliminated all raises except those that were contractually owed. The Tennessean reports that Stallings declined the money this spring when it became evident the department wouldn't be able to pay for the trip.
Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor for University Affairs and Athletics David Williams says Stallings didn't seek publicity for his move.

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GAINESVILLE, Florida (AP) -- After losing guard Nick Calathes to Greece, Florida coach Billy Donovan went overseas to find his potential replacement.

Israeli standout Nimrod Tishman began classes at Florida on Monday and could join the Gators this fall. The 6-foot-6 point guard still must be cleared by the NCAA.

Tishman averaged 18.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists at the Under-18 European Championships in France in late July. Florida associate head coach Larry Shyatt watched Tishman play there.

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Greg Paulus joined the show to discuss his new role as Syracuse's starting quarterback.

-- Paulus said he's put on some weight and worked hard to learn the scheme and thinks he's ready to be successful.

"I'm really excited," Paulus said. "I'm not too nervous. I'm trying to learn as much as I can."

-- Paulus said he looked at Michigan and Nebraska as well. Dan asked Paulus about the Wolverines, who right now have three quarterbacks rotating in. Paulus said that no school gave him a guarantee.

-- Paulus said that he loved winning on the road and making a hostile crowd go dead silent.

-- Paulus said he hasn't been late at Syracuse yet and he was never late for a basketball meeting at Duke.

-- Paulus said that Coach K has called a few times and is keeping tabs on his former point guard.

-- Paulus said that the guys do give him a hard time about being older. "They sometimes call me old man or grandpa," Paulus said

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MIAMI (AP) -- It sounds like a made-for-TV matchup -- Isiah Thomas making his coaching debut for FIU in the opening game of the season at defending national champion North Carolina.

That's what was listed on the Tar Heels' schedule for Nov. 9, released Tuesday by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Oh, but there's a catch: It's not the game FIU wanted -- and it's a game the Golden Panthers aren't interested in playing.

FIU athletic director Pete Garcia lashed out against the matchup Tuesday, saying he felt the Golden Panthers were "bullied" by organizers of the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament and that he expected Thomas' debut to be at Ohio State instead.

Garcia said the school is examining how to get out of the North Carolina matchup but told The Associated Press that FIU remains committed to playing in the tournament.

"Would they do what they're doing to us to Duke, or to North Carolina? No," Garcia said. "But they'll do it to FIU and any other school out there like FIU."

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MIAMI (AP) -- Isiah Thomas' last game as a college player was against North Carolina, when he and the Indiana Hoosiers won the 1981 national championship.

A week of uncertainty now over, his first game as a college coach will be against the Tar Heels as well.

FIU decided Tuesday to play North Carolina as scheduled Nov. 9 in a Coaches vs. Cancer tournament, ending several uneasy days where the Golden Panthers were so displeased with the matchup that they considered pulling out of the event entirely. For months, FIU worked under the assumption that it would play Ohio State in the opening round.

Instead, Thomas' FIU debut comes against the defending national champion Tar Heels. The Hall of Fame player still isn't sure how many players he'll have on the roster and might not have anyone over 6-foot-7, but called the chance to help raise money for cancer research "the greater good."

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- Suspended West Virginia point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant will serve no jail time in court cases involving two minor traffic accidents that occurred over the summer.

Bryant pleaded no contest Tuesday in Monongalia County Magistrate Court to leaving the scene of a July 4 accident and failing to give information and render aid. Two other charges were dismissed. Bryant was fined $200 plus court costs.


In Morgantown Municipal Court, Bryant pleaded no contest last month to failure to exercise due care in a June 21 incident in which his car struck a WVU student in front of a nightclub. The student wasn't seriously hurt. Two other charges were dismissed. Bryant was assessed a total of $135 in fines and costs.

WVU basketball spokesman Bryan Messerly said Wednesday that Bryant remains suspended indefinitely.

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Mississippi State center Jarvis Varnado has been released from a north Mississippi hospital after a battery of tests failed to show why he fell ill.

Varnado became nauseous during a workout Monday and was taken in for tests. He ended up staying overnight when doctors were unable to complete their examination.

Further tests Tuesday failed to show why Varnado became ill.
University spokesman Gregg Ellis says Varnado can return to practice in "a couple of days."

The 6-foot-9 player from Brownsville, Tenn., is one of the top returners after leading the nation in blocked shots the last two seasons. He led the Bulldogs to the Southeastern Conference tournament title and was named MVP.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Police say they have arrested former University of Kentucky basketball star Ed Davender in a scam to sell fraudulent season tickets for the upcoming season.

Lexington, Ky., police say Davender is charged with three felony counts of theft by deception and one count of trafficking in a controlled substance within 1,000 yards of a school.

He allegedly was accepting advance payments for tickets that weren't available for him to sell. Police say three victims have been identified.
UK basketball spokesman DeWayne Peevy said he had just heard of the situation Tuesday and had no immediate comment.

The 43-year-old Davender played for the Wildcats from 1984-88, including two years as an all-Southeastern Conference player.

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NEW YORK (AP) -- The University of Memphis filed notice Friday of its intent to appeal the NCAA's ruling forcing the school to vacate all 38 wins from the Tigers' historic 2007-08 season that ended in the national championship game.

Memphis officials are upset the NCAA clearing house cleared a player believed to be NBA star Derrick Rose to play. The committee on infractions later ruled the player ineligible after a testing service invalidated his SAT score, prompting the penalties.

That is the only finding by the NCAA's committee on infractions that Memphis is appealing. School officials say the punishments of vacating that season from the books along with all the banners and the $615,000 in NCAA tournament revenue is excessive.

University officials declared their intent to appeal Aug. 20 when the NCAA announced the ruling by the committee on infractions. Memphis had 15 days to file notice of the appeal and after Friday's actions now has 30 days to file arguments why the ineligibility ruling and punishment should be reversed.

The university retained the law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King in Overland Park, Kan., as outside counsel, and the notice obtained by The Associated Press states that Mike Glazier will be the university's point person in the appeal. Memphis also wants an in-person hearing with the Infractions Appeals Committee.

In the notice of appeal, Memphis cited an NCAA bylaw that says the committee's finding was wrong for one of three reasons: The committee misconstrued the evidence, that the facts did not show a clear rules violation or that that the only mistake made by the university was a procedural error.

Once Memphis files its appeal, the Infractions Appeals Committee will have 30 days to respond with both the university and then NCAA enforcement staff getting a short period to comment. Memphis will have the last chance to respond before the committee's appeal.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Former Nevada starter Malik Cooke has joined the South Carolina men's basketball team as a walk-on transfer.

Coach Darrin Horn said the 6-foot-5 Cooke must sit out the 2009-10 season under NCAA transfer rules. Cooke, from Charlotte, N.C., said he transferred to get closer to home and thought South Carolina was the best place for him to grow as a player.

Cooke will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after next year. The school said Cooke will pay his own way this season and will be able to practice with the team.

Cooke started all 34 games last season for Nevada, averaging 9.6 points and 6.2 rebounds a game.

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HOUSTON (AP) -- A television station is reporting that former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie said he has checked into an alcohol-related rehabilitation program following his arrest on a drunken-driving charge last month.

Houston television station KRIV reported Wednesday night that Gillispie said he was taking responsibility "by going to spend some time with John Lucas in Houston. He's got the John Lucas Athletes After Care Program. He's going to deal with some alcohol issues for me."

Attorney William L. Patrick, who is representing Gillispie in his DUI case, said Wednesday he could not confirm an earlier report by WKYT-TV in Lexington that Gillispie had entered the program.

Patrick said Gillispie was considering entering a rehabilitation program in Houston following his arrest on a drunken-driving charge last month. Gillispie reportedly said he checked in last Thursday.

Gillispie was arrested on Aug. 27 following an early morning traffic stop about 30 minutes west of Lexington, Ky. He has pleaded not guilty. Patrick said a court date is still scheduled for Sept. 23, but Gillispie will not be required to appear.

The station reported Gillispie said he's "not very proud of what happened in Kentucky two weeks ago." He also said, "That's inexcusable at this stage of my life. It should have never happened."

Gillispie, who also coached at Texas A&M, was fired in March after going 40-27 in two seasons with the Wildcats.

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STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) -- Oklahoma State basketball coach Travis Ford has received a four-year contract extension designed to keep him through 2019.

Regents governing Oklahoma State approved the new 10-year contract on Friday. It calls for Ford to receive $1.8 million for the upcoming basketball season and then get incremental raises that would push his salary to $2.8 million over the final four years of the contract.

The seven-year deal Ford signed upon being hired as the Cowboys' coach last year called for him to make about $900,000 in his first year.
The Cowboys went 23-12 in Ford's first season and returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005.

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Joe Jackson, a 5-foot-11 point guard from White Station High in Memphis, Tenn., is staying home for college, SI.com has learned.

On Sunday, he informed his grandmother, Lillie Cox, that he will join highly- touted wing Will Barton in the University of Memphis' first recruiting class under coach Josh Pastner. "I just like Josh's spirit," Cox told SI.com Friday morning. "Joe felt he had the best relationship with him."

Jackson previously considered Tennessee and Kansas, but will announce his decision at the Larry O. Finch center on the Memphis campus Friday night, where his high school team practices.

Cox, who hosted Pastner and his staff for an in-home visit Wednesday, said Jackson has not taken the ACT yet, but intends on taking in the winter

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Memphis sophomore Angel Garcia tore his right anterior cruciate and will miss the upcoming season, leaving the Tigers with just eight scholarship players.

Tigers coach Josh Pastner announced the injury Friday. Garcia was hurt during a non-contact drill Thursday during individual workouts.

The Puerto Rico native sat out three months last season while the NCAA clearinghouse checked his eligibility, then was limited to practicing with the team. The 6-foot-11 forward will have surgery within two weeks with up to eight months of rehabilitation.

This is the second player lost for the season to a knee injury. Martin Ngaloro tore knee ligaments in August and is staying in France.
Memphis opens the season Nov. 13 against Jackson State

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie wants a lawsuit the school filed against him moved to federal court.

Court records show Gillispie filed a request Monday to move the case from circuit court to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Gillispie sued the University of Kentucky Athletics Association in federal court in Dallas on May 27, claiming fraud and breach of contract stemming from his March firing. The university countersued in state court.

In court papers, the Texas resident says federal court is the proper venue for several reasons, including that the lawsuits involve parties in more than one state


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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- The University of Kentucky has told the NCAA it disciplined a former men's basketball administrative assistant for a secondary rules violation.

In response to an open records request by The Associated Press, UK released information about the self-reporting of several minor violations from its sports programs. Among them was an admission that Bilal Batley broke NCAA rules when he shagged rebounds with an unnamed student-athlete at a gym.

Batley was issued a letter of admonishment, according to the report. UK athletics spokesman DeWayne Peevy said he has resigned from the program but couldn't confirm the reason.

One other men's basketball violation involved a high school basketball camp that advertised a UK player might appear. The university listed that violation as inadvertent

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin freshman Jeremy Glover has been kicked off the men's basketball team after being arrested last week on charges of burglary and possession of stolen property.

Glover and fellow 18-year-old freshman teammate Diamond Taylor were suspended from the team after campus police say they responded to a call of an attempted burglary at a dorm on Sept. 6.

Authorities say they saw the two leaving the building, and confiscated iPods, a cell phone and more than $400 in cash. Glover and Taylor are scheduled to appear in Dane County Circuit Court on Monday.

A school spokesman said Wednesday he couldn't comment on Taylor's status, but several reports say the scholarship player has withdrawn and will not face further disciplinary action from the university

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PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pitt senior guard Jermaine Dixon has undergone bone graft surgery on his broken right foot and is expected to be out about two months.

Dixon had the operation Wednesday after reinjuring the foot he initially broke in July. Dixon started all 36 Pitt games last season, averaging 8.4 points.

Pitt, an NCAA regional finalist last season, is likely to be without two of its top returning players for its Nov. 13 opener against Wofford. Redshirt junior forward Gilbert Brown is academically ineligible during the first semester.

Dixon's absence might create more playing time for Chase Adams, a 5-foot-11 guard who is eligible immediately. He transferred from Centenary, which is dropping from Division I to Division III.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- UCLA men's basketball coach Ben Howland has undergone an appendectomy.

Howland was resting comfortably Thursday, a day after he had what the school referred to as a "standard appendectomy" performed at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center by Dr. Joe Hines.

Howland said he expects to return to work Monday.

"One of the very best things about being a coach or student-athlete at UCLA is if you need medical attention, you won't find any better place in the country than at the incomparable UCLA Medical Center," Howland said.
Howland has a 152-54 record (.738) in six seasons at UCLA, including three straight Final Four appearances from 2006-08, and is 320-153 (.677) in 15 seasons overall.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas basketball coach John Pelphrey said Thursday he will suspend at least one player 2-3 games following a rape investigation that did not result in charges.

The school released a statement from Pelphrey outlining punishment in the aftermath of the allegations. The release did not name any players and Pelphrey said he could not disclose specific punishments because of federal privacy laws.


Authorities decided against charges after investigating a woman's claim that she had been raped Aug. 27 at a fraternity house. The allegations were made against three Arkansas basketball players.

"Although the student-athletes involved have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, we expect Razorback student-athletes to adhere to a higher standard and code of conduct," Pelphrey said.

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WINCHESTER, Ky. (AP) -- Former Kentucky basketball player Derrick Miller has pleaded not guilty to theft by deception charges in connection with an alleged ticket scam.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Miller's lawyer entered that plea Wednesday in Clark County District Court, but Judge Earl-Ray Neal said another felony count has been filed in Bell County against the 42-year-old ex-Wildcat.

Miller also faces another felony theft by deception charge in Fayette County. Lexington police say Miller accepted payment in advance for tickets when they weren't available to him to sell. Former Kentucky star Ed Davender was arrested Sept. 1 in a similar case.

Miller can be released from the Clark County jail on 10 percent of $5,000 bond, but Neal said Miller will still have to post bond in Fayette and Bell counties

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MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Marquette guard Junior Cadougan is expected to miss the season after injuring his Achilles' tendon during conditioning.

The team says Friday that the 6-foot-1 freshman from Toronto will undergo surgery on his right foot in the coming days after hurting himself Thursday afternoon and will need 4 to 6 months to rehab the injury.
Cadougan averaged 22 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals at Christian Life Center Academy in Humble, Texas last season and was expected to compete for playing time at point guard for Marquette this year.

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia men's basketball coach Bob Huggins says point guard Darryl Bryant has been reinstated to the team.
The sophomore from Brooklyn, N.Y., was suspended in July for violating unspecified team rules. Huggins announced Bryant's reinstatement Friday.

Earlier this month, Bryant pleaded no contest in Monongalia County Magistrate Court to leaving the scene of an accident and failing to give information and render aid. Bryant was fined $200 plus court costs.
In Morgantown Municipal Court, Bryant pleaded no contest in August to failure to exercise due care in a June 21 incident in which his car struck a WVU student in front of a nightclub. The student wasn't seriously hurt. Bryant was assessed a total of $135 in fines and costs.

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams has received a one-year extension on his contract, which could keep him at the job into 2013.

Williams' contract includes automatic extensions for achieving benchmark standards by the Terrapins, both athletically and academically.
Williams is entering his 21st season as head coach at his alma mater. The extension takes the term of his contract through June 30, 2013.
He is the winningest coach in Maryland history (418) and ranks sixth nationally among active coaches with 625 victories (625-357) in 31 seasons overall.

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DAYTON, Ohio (AP) -- The University of Dayton Arena will host first- and second-round games of the 2013 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament as well as the opening-round game of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 tournaments.

The NCAA on Monday notified the arena and the University of Dayton, which will serve as tournament host.

Four first-round games and two second-round games will be played, with the winners moving on to regional games. The 2013 Final Four will be held in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

Dayton has hosted opening-round games since they began in 2001 and will again host the game in March.

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Tyshawn Taylor, a sophomore guard on the Kansas basketball team, was treated at a hospital Tuesday night after being injured in a scuffle among athletes, The Associated Press has learned.

A person close to the situation says Taylor was treated for an injury to his hand that may sideline him for 4-6 weeks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the school's inquiry into the incident was not complete.

Taylor is expected to be a major part of a Jayhawks team that will enter the season with lofty expectations. He was Kansas' third-leading scorer as a freshman, averaging almost 10 points per game.

The Lawrence Journal-World first reported on the injury. It said the scuffle involved both football and basketball players.

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LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (AP) -- A prosecutor says she has offered former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie a plea bargain in a drunken driving case.
Anderson County Attorney Bobbi Jo Lewis discussed the plea bargain in court Wednesday during a pretrial conference with Gillispie's attorney, William Patrick. Gillispie didn't attend.

Lewis says no agreement has been reached. Patrick says a "reasonable offer" was proposed but he needs to discuss it with his client.

Gillispie is scheduled to appear Oct. 5. He was arrested last month on a driving under the influence charge after refusing sobriety tests during an early morning traffic stop in Anderson County. He later checked into an alcohol rehab program in Texas.

He was fired this season after two years coaching the Wildcats

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HOUSTON (AP) -- Encouraged by progress in his recovery from major foot surgery, Yao Ming (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/players/3599) says he will return to action -- just not next season.

"The (X-ray) picture looks good. The bones heal well," he said in an interview with Houston television station KRIV on Wednesday.

He also said, however, that there was no chance that he will play in the 2009-10 NBA season.

"The answer is no. You don't want to rush it, because they want it to totally heal this time. I have been in this situation enough," he said.
The 7-foot-6 Chinese star underwent surgery in May to repair a hairline fracture in his left foot suffered late in a May 8 NBA playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/teams/lakers). The injury had raised questions, especially in China, about Yao's playing future.

This week, he said he expects his career will take on new life.
"I am able to play again," he said.

However, there may be a change in the style of his play.
"Obviously, I want to play basketball. This is my life right there," he said. "But for long term, believe me for long term, I need to slow down."

Yao had the hard cast removed from his left leg on Friday, and his leg and foot were placed in an orthopedic boot. He said he works out three times a week, but the boot on his leg limits what he can do

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TROY, N.Y. (AP) -- Binghamton University basketball player Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday to possessing and selling cocaine.

Mayben, who led Binghamton last year to its first appearance in the NCAA basketball tournament, was arrested Wednesday night in his hometown of Troy. Investigators were taking him into custody on a sealed indictment charging him with selling cocaine twice on June 29 when they found 3.4 grams of cocaine on him, police said.

Greg Cholakis, Mayben's lawyer, said his client was released on $20,000 bail and was on his way back to Binghamton to resume classes. Mayben didn't make a statement in court Thursday.

Mayben, 22, has never been in trouble before, Cholakis said


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WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) -- Army fired men's basketball coach Jim Crews after seven losing seasons.

Athletic Director Kevin Anderson said in a statement Thursday that Crew won't be on the bench when the Black Knights start the 2009-10 season.
Crews brought the Knights to the Patriot League tournament semifinals the past three seasons but his best overall record was 15-16 in 2006-07. Army went 11-19 last season.

In seven years, Crews had a record of 60-139, a .302 winning percentage.
Anderson said a national search for Crews' replacement will begin immediately. Army Deputy Athletic Director Gene Marshall will serve as interim coach.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee officials say forward Emmanuel Negedu is in stable condition after collapsing during practice.

The 6-foot-7, 218-pound, 20-year-old sophomore from Kaduna, Nigeria, collapsed during a Monday afternoon practice and was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Associate athletic trainer Chad Newman says Negedu will be kept overnight for observations. Tennessee officials did not know what caused him to collapse.

As a freshman, Negedu played in 33 games, averaging 7.2 minutes, 1.9 rebounds and 1.7 points per game.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama forward Demetrius Jemison will miss the entire season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The injury was confirmed by an MRI on Sunday. It will require surgery to repair.

The senior sustained the injury on his left leg during a team workout on Saturday. He's set to undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair the damaged tendon.

Jemison averaged 3.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 28 games last season

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STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun is talking to the school about a new multiyear contract.

Kyle Muncy, a spokesman for the UConn basketball program, said Tuesday that the two sides have been in discussions for some time, and that Calhoun has expressed a desire to continue coaching at UConn.

ESPN.com, citing sources it did not identify, reported Tuesday that talks would extend the 67-year-old Calhoun's tenure at UConn into his 70s.
Muncy said he could not say how many years a new contract might run.
"It's not going to be a one-year contract," Muncy said. "How many years it's going to be, I don't know, but it will not be a one-year contract."

Calhoun, who has two national titles and took the Huskies to the Final Four last season, is set to make $1.6 million in 2009-10, the final year of a six-year deal.

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas junior guard Brady Morningstar has been suspended for the first semester after his arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Kansas Turnpike spokeswoman Lisa Callahan says Morningstar was stopped early Saturday on the Kansas Turnpike near the East Lawrence interchange.

He was arrested around 3:25 a.m. and booked into the Douglas County Jail.

Online jail records show he was released on $250 bond at 6:01 a.m.
Calls to Kansas athletics officials were not immediately returned.
The arrest is the latest embarrassment for the Jayhawks, who could be ranked as high as No. 1 in the preseason poll. Morningstar's suspension comes as university police open an investigation into last month's brawl involving members of the school's football and men's basketball teams.

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WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) -- Zach Spiker has been hired as men's basketball coach at Army.

Spiker has served as an assistant at Cornell under Steve Donahue and helped the Big Red to upper-division finishes in the Ivy League each of his five seasons there.

Spiker was involved in recruiting at Cornell, which won consecutive Ivy League titles the past two seasons, including a 14-0 conference mark in 2007-08. It was the first back-to-back league titles for Cornell in school history, and the first time a team other than Penn or Princeton won consecutive Ivy League championships.

Spiker, a native of Morgantown, W.Va., also served as an administrative assistant under former coach John Beilein. Spiker replaces Jim Crews, who was fired just over a week ago after seven losing seasons

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Notre Dame's hopes of bouncing back after a disappointing finish last year took a hit Friday when forward Scott Martin learned he will miss the season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The 6-foot-8 Martin, a transfer from Purdue expected to start after sitting last season, injured the knee Thursday during a preseason workout when he drove into the lane and crumpled to the court, coach Mike Brey said.
The Irish had been counting on Martin to provide an offensive spark. Brey has called Martin "one of the most gifted offensive guys" he's had in his time at Notre Dame.

The seniors, led by returning starters Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson, held a team meeting Friday and compared the loss of Martin to the 2006-07 season when the Irish lost starting guard Kyle McAlarney in December just before the start of Big East play, Brey said.

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Penn State gave basketball coach Ed DeChellis a three-year contract extension, rewarding him after the Nittany Lions won the NIT title last season.

DeChellis is entering his seventh season in Happy Valley. The new deal announced Thursday keeps DeChellis under contract at his alma mater through the 2013-14 season.

DeChellis led the Nittany Lions to a school-record 27 wins last season, ending with the program's first national postseason tournament title.
Penn State also set a school record with 17 home wins.

University policy is not to disclose terms of agreements. Records released by the school this spring showed DeChellis made more than $642,000 in base salary plus bonuses last year.

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BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (AP) -- Binghamton's athletic director is resigning following the dismissal of six basketball players last week.

Joel Thirer's announcement came Wednesday, less than a week after star player Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben was arraigned on cocaine distribution charges and kicked off the team.

Players D.J. Rivera, Malik Alvin, Corey Chandler, Paul Crosby and David Fine also were released last week.

Binghamton president Lois DeFleur said she had stressed to Thirer that misconduct would not be tolerated among student athletes.
Thirer will remain a tenured professor, but Jim Norris will take over as interim athletic director.

Binghamton is part of the State University of New York system. Its chancellor, Nancy Zimpher, is known to take a hard line on problems in athletic programs

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) -- Louis Orr has signed a two-year contract extension with Bowling Green to remain its men's basketball coach.
The deal announced Thursday is through the 2013-14 season.

Orr is entering his third year at Bowling Green. He led the Falcons to the Mid-American Conference regular season championship last year and the school's first appearance in the NIT since 2002, and was honored as the league's coach of the year.

Orr spent five seasons coaching at Seton Hall before coming to Bowling Green.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee forward Emmanuel Negedu will not play or practice during the 2009-10 season but will remain on scholarship after suffering sudden cardiac arrest last week.

The 20-year-old sophomore from Kaduna, Nigeria, underwent surgery Tuesday to have a cardiac defibrillator implanted in his chest to monitor his heart's rhythm and delivery energy when an irregularity occurs.
"I just want to say thanks to all those people that care about me and show me they care," Negedu said in a statement. "God is going to see me through this. With God, all things are possible. God is always in control."

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) -- The Great Lakes Valley Conference says it has banned Southern Indiana's men's basketball team from postseason play due to alleged NCAA violations reported by the school.

The ban announced Tuesday covers the GLVC and NCAA tournaments.
The conference said the case is pending NCAA review and involves "five secondary violations, including unethical conduct, extra benefits and impermissible contact." It said the case involved three players during the 2008-09 academic year.

Coach Rick Herdes resigned and the Screaming Eagles forfeited their entire 2008-09 season in May after two players were declared ineligible and an internal investigation found five alleged NCAA violations by the men's basketball program.

School officials said the alleged violations involved transportation and school work done for student athletes.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- UCLA forward James Keefe will miss four to six weeks after injuring his left shoulder.

A team spokesman said Wednesday that Keefe injured himself a night earlier, but no details were given. Results of a MRI were negative, although there was some instability to the joint.

Keefe had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder that forced him to miss the first 12 games of the 2007-08 season.

The senior averaged 3.0 points and 3.4 rebounds last season.
The Bruins open the season on Nov. 16 against Cal State Fullerton.

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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Retired New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye will lead an independent investigation of Binghamton's athletic program.

University president Lois DeFleur called for an audit of the program after the releases last month of star basketball player Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben, who's facing drug charges, and five of his teammates.

State University of New York officials say Wednesday that Kaye, who retired as chief judge of the state's top court at the end of last year, will lead the investigation. SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher has previously said the review will be overseen by the executive committee of the SUNY board of trustees.

Kaye works for a New York City law firm. As head of the Court of Appeals, she also oversaw operations of New York's court system.